FIE International Training Camp

A new format for the traditional FIE training camp enabled more attention to be paid to the individual participants. The traditional FIE International Training Camp took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, prior to the Cadet & Junior World Championships, from 28 March to 7 April 2015.

Twenty national fencing federations from across the continental zones were invited to select their most promising young fencers, and there was a new format for the camp which hosted a restricted number of participants at two weapons: foil and epee.

The Fencing Masters appointed to lead the training camp were Petru Kuki for foil and Alexander Gorbachuk for epee. “This was my first training camp with the FIE,” said Gorbachuk. “I focused on physical preparation and fencing technique, for example concerning the distance parade and so on.

“I enjoy training young fencers. Here I was working with fencers from several countries, from Mongolia to Ghana, there was a broad variety of ages, mentality, experience and level. Each of them needed a different kind of support.”

His colleague Kuki has been the FIE training camp foil coach since 2007. “I think around 150 athletes have trained with me during this time, maybe more,” he said. “The new format of the camp in Tashkent, with fewer fencers, allowed us to pay more attention to each of the participants. Sharing the training hall with the Uzbek team ensured that they had good partners to train with.

“I must say that as an FIE coach I had my satisfactions. Some of the fencers that passed through the training camp became high-class fencers in the following years, like for instance Inès Boubakri from Tunisia, but she is not the only one. This camp represented a good opportunity for them and the FIE contributed to their development.”

A total of 19 athletes took part in the camp, 13 epee fencers and six foil fencers: